What is partial knee replacement?
Partial knee replacement is an alternative option to total knee replacement for suitable patients.
Knee replacement surgery involves removing the surfaces of the bones in your knee and replacing them with artificial components. With total knee replacement, your surgeon resurfaces most of the knee, but with partial knee replacement, they retain the bone surfaces that are still healthy.
Why would I need partial knee replacement surgery?
Partial knee replacement surgery might be warranted if you have chronic pain, joint instability, and stiffness that are interfering with your everyday activities and impairing your quality of life. The most common cause of these problems is arthritis, particularly osteoarthritis.
Osteoarthritis develops over time as your joints lose the cartilage that protects the ends of your bones. Cartilage is a tough, slippery substance that enables the bones to glide over each other. After years of wear-and-tear, the cartilage can get thinner and eventually leaves the bones exposed, so they start rubbing together instead of gliding.
The result is inflammation, chronic pain, swelling, stiffness, and weakness in your joints. To begin with, the team at Total Joint Specialists uses nonsurgical treatments, such as anti-inflammatory medications, physical therapy, and joint injections, to manage the condition. However, it's not possible to cure osteoarthritis, and your joints may continue to deteriorate.
If you reach the point where conservative approaches are no longer effective, it's time to consider joint replacement surgery.
What does partial knee replacement surgery involve?
Your surgeon at the Total Joint Specialists recommends the least invasive and most appropriate surgical approach. A partial knee replacement aims to conserve healthy tissues, minimize pain, and offer a fast recovery. They may use computer-navigated robot-assisted systems like Mako® that offer assistance with complex knee replacement surgery.
To find out if partial knee replacement surgery is the right choice for your chronic knee pain, call Total Joint Specialists today or request an appointment online.
